


Fountains of Youth

by FadingThroughNebulae



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Battle wounds, Broken Friendships, Conversations, Editing in Progress, Emotional wounds, F/M, First Meetings, Growing companionships, Hollow Bastion | Radiant Garden, Introspection, Likely setting canon on fire with this, Loneliness, One shot in separate parts, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Rare Pairings, Self-Reflection, Slightly depressing, Some blood no gore, dark atmosphere, light shipping, somewhat dialogue heavy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:42:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25064848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FadingThroughNebulae/pseuds/FadingThroughNebulae
Summary: When Aqua journeys through worlds to repair an ever-growing damage, one companion convinces her to rest.Rated Teen for Heavy Angst and Overall Sadness
Relationships: Aqua & Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua/Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Isa/Subject X (Kingdom Hearts) (Implied)
Kudos: 5





	1. Journey Through Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The concept for this story has plagued me for what seems like ages though in reality has only been a matter of weeks. After seeing the stunning battle set that my two favorite characters executed in Re: Mind, I've decided to finally follow through on writing an interaction between them. 
> 
> I've split this fic into separate chapters to make for a more convenient reading experience, and will post the conclusion later this week. Hope you enjoy this piece. Thank you for reading.

Aqua’s shoulders ached, her armor clanking as she walked. The tip of her keyblade traced a thick line through the dirt behind her. She clumsily stepped over patches of grass that stuck out sorely among large stones and bits of yellow clay. A shroud of mist obscured the broken path up ahead. She stopped frequently, her breathing ragged as she stared down the road into the haze. She smudged the dirt from her cheek with the back of her hand and kept going. To travel on foot was grueling, but the keyblade refused to summon her glider. Her strength hovered on its last drops.

Her limbs drew closer to the ground, gravity weighing on her bones as she pushed on. Her mind skipped from thought to thought. It all boiled down to where they were now, all of them. Even as Sora dealt the final blow that ensured Xehanort's demise, the worlds refused to return to their normal state. Aqua released a sudden, shakey sigh. What did she expect? That everything would just fall back into place after it was over? She had hoped she was wrong about the worlds, but she couldn't have been more on the nose.

She halted her stride again, a thin blanket of emotion slowly falling upon her. She thought back to Ven and Terra, then pulled out her wayfinder. Her thumb traced over the cool metal lining in between the glass. She blinked, her throat tightening. Aqua returned the trinket to the pocket on the side of her leg and resumed her journey. After several steps, her foot caught on an upturned stone in the middle of the path. She pitched forward, barely catching herself. She heard Ven's voice in her mind as she struggled to catch her breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You're going where?" Ven's voice hitched when he learned what Aqua was planning.

"I have work to do, Ven," she said, gathering her things. "Something's off." She glanced up to the round window high above the wall, small beams of light cascading down. She returned her gaze to his face. "You stay here with Terra."

"No way. If everyone else is out there searching for Sora, I want to help too."

"This is isn't about Sora." Her tone came out unintentionally sharp. Ven stared at her with panic in his eyes. Aqua's brow creased, and she grasped his shoulder with a sigh. "I just need you... to be safe. Stay here. I'll be back in a few days." She turned to leave, but the way Ven's voice unfurled in a rush made her stop. 

"And if you aren't?"

Aqua almost said, "You'll get along without me," yet her words stuck in her throat. Footsteps appeared at the foyer entrance then halted. Aqua sensed Terra's eyes tracing over the back of her neck.

Ven scrambled towards him, an urgency in his words. "Terra, tell her to let me go with her."

Concern broke through Terra's tone as his attention slowly drifted back to Aqua. "What's this about leaving?" She could tell that he was half-smiling when he spoke. As if he knew what she was doing but clung to some sliver of hope that it wasn't true. 

Aqua kept her back to him, her eyes tracing over the golden paisley designs that snaked across the marble flooring. "The worlds are calling, Terra. I can't stay here."

"But we just got back!" Ven gave a shrill cry. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She remembered how they reached for her while she walked out the door and descended the steps into the courtyard. The memory slipped away as Aqua pushed through the mist, cursing at herself. Maybe she should have brought Terra and Ven along. No. She almost lost her life several times. The heartless were beyond numerous, even with Xehanort gone. If she put Terra and Ven in that situation and something were to happen... Her knees buckled, and her head spun. The world swayed and she put a hand to her brow. _My mistake, I guess. Taking it all upon my shoulders again._

Her body staggered, teetering towards the edge of the path where darkness awaited. Ominous. Breathing. Beckoning her to come closer. _What was I thinking? That I could replace Sora? After all these years, when he lived and I didn't?_

She glanced up and made out the faintest bit of light peeking through the gloom. She sighed in relief as she reached up to the pressure point of her armor. A dim glow surrounded her as the metal shield dissipated. Her light was not as strong as it used to be, but at least her breath flowed a little easier now.

Her heart still retained some power, as she was able to pass through the light and into a world of glistening fountains. Aqua's heels clacked against the blue and green mosaic in the central square. The colored tiles were slick from a recent rain, and another storm hovered over the town. Her mind unearthed her suppressed memories of this place. Memories from ten years or more ago. Memories she thought she might cherish and nurture after she laughed them off with Terra and Ven. Instead, she buried them in a box deep with her heart, unwilling to let them see the light. Aqua's hand found its way back to her trinket again, and she cupped it in both palms before cradling it to her chest. _Terra, Ven. I'm sorry. Things happened and I..._

She looked up at the castle and decided she'd start there first. She tucked the charm away in her hand and ventured onward. Searching. She checked the gardens and then the gates. Nothing. She retraced her steps, then passed Merlin's house as she walked down the street. It appeared vacant, with no loud arguments from Cid and Leon seeping through the door, and no smoke emitting from the chimney. Her face creased in a puzzled look, but she didn't have time to stop.

Things appeared perfectly ordinary as she made her way through the fountain court and the aqueduct. She took pause when she reached the reactor. Her heart sang and her mind burned. Standing there on that spot of glass above the maze of pipes, she remembered swinging her keyblade with Terra and Ven, slashing through the Trinity Armor. That wasn't the only thing she had fought that day.

Aqua covered her mouth, on the verge of tears. Did she ever apologize? Did they even want to hear those words from her, or did they just accept that it was all in the past? Perhaps too far in the past, but then why was the pain still there? She pushed herself away from that place, the memories becoming too overpowering. She headed back the way she came, her feet heavy on the stairs. When she entered the central square again, she noticed the steps to her left leading to an underground tunnel. Her gaze flicked up to the castle one more time, its jagged metal spires branching out against the gray sky. She made her descent, passing under the pointed archway before staggering by the small fountains fixed to the walls covered with ivy.


	2. Water Works

Aqua found herself in outer gardens. Several handfuls of people strolled about, following the brick walls that shielded the town. Others sat on benches and conversed amongst themselves. She noticed the soft smiles on their faces as she passed. The crowd seemed to disperse just for her as she headed for the central fountain, with its hidden doorway that led to the bowels of the purification chamber. 

_Maybe there are no heartless here_ , she thought as sat on the stone edge of the fountain. She stretched for a moment and massaged the muscles behind her neck. Her numbness faded and she began to feel how much pain she was truly in.

A child suddenly ran in front of her but stopped dead in his stride, his eyes wide with fear. His stare bore into Aqua's cheek, the same cheek that was smudged with dirt. Aqua blinked back at him, her brow creasing in confusion. The boy started to raise his finger to point at her, the words "What happened to you?" forming on his lips. His mother swung by and snatched his hand, yanking him away.

She felt a rush of anxiety wash over her and glanced around. Most everyone had left, and those who hadn't moved to discretely distance themselves. _Why are they...?_

She glanced down at the back of her hand. Instead of dirt, a patch of dried blood stuck to her skin. In disbelief, she slowly reached up and lightly touched her fingertips to her cheek, wincing as she found it sensitive. 

As more people ushered away from her, she frantically searched her body, catching all her battle scars in one continuous glance. Red claw marks had broken through the skin on her left arm, her pristine sleeve bloody and shredded. Series of bruises traced up her right shin. A large red gash covered her right collarbone, and her knuckles and knees were scrapped beyond belief. Then she beheld her keyblade with a lowered jaw. Something within her snapped. 

The paths between worlds were so heavily draped in shadow, she never realized. Half of Rainfell's tip was gone, and severe scratches decorated the inner parts of the blade. The obsidian gems that used to rest near the point and the guard were also missing. No wonder it refused to function properly. How she managed to summon it at all was perplexing.

In a sudden, final burst of energy, Aqua clenched her fist and let out a gut-wrenching scream as she hurled her keyblade. It skidded across the cobblestone, becoming lodged in the shrubbery. Her head dropped in her hands. Those who still lingered in the gardens fled immediately, leaving her all alone to unchain the emotions she'd held onto for so long.

Thunder rumbled overhead as she wept. Tears rolled over her palms, and she thought back to Ven and Terra by themselves at the Land of Departure. What was she to do? She only wanted to help, but now it seemed like she fixed so little. She couldn't use her keyblade any more, and she was beyond exhausted. A sudden crack filled the air as lightning struck near one of the outer walls. She rubbed her face in her hands, her tears further smudging the blood. How was she going to get home?

Rain pattered around her, speckling unevenly over the stone and she faced the sky. The cool water soothed the heat and slightly washed away the grime. _You'd put yourself back in harm's way based on a hunch?_ Terra had said to her. _Why do you feel the need to go back out there? We did our part. We're finally together again. Just the three of us._

Aqua opened her eyes as the rain reduced to a light sprinkle. She lowered her head, and looked at her hands, flexing her fingers. Perhaps she should have listened. If she had, maybe she would be able to focus on repairing other things. She sat with her hands in her lap, her thoughts riveting to so many things. She blinked as she heard a familiar voice, followed by laughter. She glanced to her right, seeing Lea and Isa walk up the steps and into the garden. Isa held a stick of sea salt ice cream, untouched, and Lea whittled away at a popsicle stick with his teeth.

"Ah, Scrooge just keeps racking up the price on these things a little more every day, yeah? Must be taking advantage of the world being restored."

"Is that all you ever think about?" Isa said, shaking his head in disappointment. "I suppose that explains why the others were so excited to come with. They knew you'd be getting them ice cream."

Lea laughed, jerking his thumb towards his chest in a close-eyed smile. Aqua turned her back to them, trying to make herself seem small by hiding her face with a bow of her head. They paused nearby, hovering near Rainfell in the bushes. The soft rain continued and Lea removed the stick from his mouth, gazing up at the sky.

"Now, where do you suppose Riku is? Isn't he supposed to be here with the ship?"

"You expect him to pull up in this?" Isa swept his arm towards the clouds.

He chuckled. "Oh come now. It's not that bad." His smile dropped from his face as a streak of lightning struck a tree close by, followed by a loud crack.

A stern expression crossed Isa's face as he looked at him. "You were saying?"

With a sheepish smile, Lea ran a hand through his hair.

"We should head back." Isa said, redirecting his steps. "Kairi has a gummiphone. We can get in touch with Riku through that."

"Yeah, alright." Lea started to follow when he paused, looking back over his shoulder. "Huh?"

Aqua covered her mouth as he walked over to the bush, his eyes resting on the keyblade. He tilted his head, reaching down to pick it up but hesitated. He straightened and with a smooth pivot, he looked over his shoulder as if he knew someone was there all along.

"Aqua?" His eyes locked with hers, his hand still clutching the ice cream stick.


	3. Slow Remedy

Isa paused, glancing back over his shoulder at Lea. He neared Aqua, his brow furrowing in a combination of concern and confusion. "How'd you get here?"

As he closed the gap between them, she shifted her weight, trying to shrink back. Her limbs refused to cooperate as exhaustion maintained its hold. She glanced up at him from beneath the hair that stuck to her brow. Did he notice her staring? He looked different somehow, a certain radiance surrounding him as if he witness the beauty of the sun up close. He seemed more cheerful now too, almost, though his expression was creased with worry. Did things work out for him after the guardians parted ways? She felt a twinge of jealously then but pushed it aside. If he made a better life for himself, she was happy for him. Right?

An awkward feeling draped over her, and a small heat of shame consumed her body. She tensed as Lea knelt in front of her, and she stared into his emerald eyes as they roamed over her face.

"Man, oh man, are you alright? What happened?" He stared at the large cut on her cheek then noticed more blood out of the corner of his eye. His gaze drifted down to her arm and he reached for her. She batted his hand away. 

"I'm fine. Would you stop?" She clutched her torn-up sleeve, her wound stinging from her touch.

Lea snorted, balancing on the balls of his feet. "You don't look fine."

Her eyes narrowed then her stare hit over Lea's shoulder. She watched Isa approach the shrubbery, snapping several twigs in the bush as he hauled her keyblade up.

"Hey." Lea drew her attention back to him. 

She looked back at him, and he held her gaze as his head tilted to the side. "Since you're perfectly fine," he broke into a joking grin, holding up an open hand. "How many fingers do you see?"

Anger flushed Aqua's cheeks, and she formed a retort.

"That's enough, Lea." Isa came up behind him.

Lea released a sigh as he stood up, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, alright."

He spoke to Aqua directly then, his hands turning through the air as he spoke. "I'm sorry? Just offering my help, is all. You look like you're in pretty bad shape." He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced off to the side, mumbling under his breath. Aqua caught his words. "Don't know why everyone still insists on going out on their own nowadays."

Isa handed Aqua her weapon. She accepted it with hesitation, her hands slowly wrapping around the round blade. She offered a weak smile as she stared up at him, still holding her arm.

Isa handed off the uneaten ice-cream to Lea, the treat half-melted from the rain. "Lea's right," he said. "You don't look well."

She didn't say anything, mild discomfort rising.

"There a reason why you're out here?" Lea asked after a moment. He looked back to her arm.

Aqua remained silent, slowly shaking her head, more out of pity than as an answer. They continued to hover, their eyes burning through her. Her pulse quickened, and a headache grew. She squeezed her arm tighter. 

Lea's gaze lingered over the edges of the fountain. He snapped his fingers. "Hey, Isa." He turned to him. "You think Riku has something on the Gummi Ship that can patch her up?"

An irritated expression crossed Isa's face, and he folded his arms against his chest. "In what world do you think I would know that?" He stared Lea down before side-eying Aqua. He exhaled as he uncrossed his arms. "I'll go ask the others," he said, heading for the stairs.

"Heh, good idea," Lea said, then called after him. "Ask Kairi, would you?"

Isa waved a hand and disappeared down the steps. Lea's face twitched in slight disgust as he glanced at the ice cream in his grasp. He placed it on the ground, wiping his fingers off his plaid shirt. The rain increased again, and his hair sagged against his shoulders. Water trailed down his biceps. 

"You weren't going to eat that?" Aqua said.

"Huh? Nah. It's no good that way." He sat down next to her, his fingers slowly drumming against his knees. Aqua didn't bother scooting over. The world was spinning too much. The rain bled into her clothes and soothed the feverish heat in her body. She raised her eyebrows as Lea's voice shot up.

"Oh, hey." He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a small glass jar of gold liquid. A hissing _pop_ as filled the air as he cracked the top open. He offered it to her.

She warily glanced at it then at him. His green eyes held hers, and he shook the jar, urging for her to take it. "Was saving it for an emergency, but this looks as good of one as any."

Aqua rested her keyblade against her leg and hesitantly grabbed the glass. It felt heavy in her hands. He smiled, and she stared down into the jar where the contents sparkled. It had the appearance of thick slime, sliding around the sides as she tilted the container.

Lea gripped the edges of the fountain as he faced the dark sky. Rain danced upon his cheeks. "So I guess you're not holding up very well on it then, huh?" he said.

"What?" Aqua jerked her head.

He met her eyes. "You going to tell me what happened?"

She released a shaky sigh, breaking his stare. "There's nothing to tell. I felt the light dying, so I went to save it."

Lea nodded, processing things in a growing stillness. He finally released an understanding sigh. "You know, I think I get that." He shifted, tucking his leg to his chest while his heel balanced on the ledge.

Aqua stared at the drink in her hands. Her words came out slow and cautious as she traced the rim of the jar. "How do you know what I'm feeling?"

He let out a sad laugh, turning his face to the side. "You don't _need_ to carry the whole world on your shoulders, you know. Keyblade Master or not. You can't always try and make things right for everybody else. Especially on your own." He faced her again. "That's when you'll get hurt. Believe me." 

Her expression fell and a tear slipped down her face.

Lea stiffened. "Hey..."

She cut him off before he could say anything, lifting her head to the clouds. "No, I think you're right. I just wanted to fix things. But I suppose it _is_ all too much for one person to handle."

"Right." Lea slowly drew out the word as he rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what else to say. He suddenly pointed to the elixir in her hand. "Hey, drink up. The potency only lasts so long on those."

Aqua tilted the jar to the side, uncertainty rising as she examined its contents again. She hadn't eaten in what seemed like forever, and her stomach ached in a constant state of nausea. She lifted the glass to her lips in one quick motion and knocked the elixir back. A disgusting taste permeated her senses. The texture proved to be exactly what it looked like - a dense glittery sludge. Her gag reflex almost triggered, and she forced it down. 

Lea laughed at her expense. She shoved the empty jar into his hands, struggling to rid herself of the aftertaste. She put a hand to her mouth as she started coughing. 

"You alright?" Lea's expression shifted into concern and he moved a hand towards her shoulder. She patted it away.

"I'm fine," she said, her voice cracking. Her lips pressed to the back of her hand, shaking her head as her brow creased. 

He shrugged, gesturing with the container. "If you say so." He looked to the sheets of rain descending in front of him. Small streams ran through the cracks in the stone pathway.

"So why are you here?" Aqua asked, lowering her hand, her breath returning.

"Me?" A surprised look crossed Lea's face. "I guess that's fair. You filled me in a bit on what you were doing." He reached behind his head, massaging the muscles in his neck, suddenly self-conscious. He released a sigh. "I used to live here. Before things happened. I also met Ventus around that time, but maybe he's never told you that."

"I've heard bits and pieces of the story," she said and allowed Lea to continue.

"Heh, well, you see," he began slowly. "There was this girl. A girl with black hair."


	4. Inner Scars

Aqua's stare lingered over the side of Lea's face. He flexed his fingers. 

"Isa and I found her once. Stuck deep down within the dark basement. We only went in there at the time to scope out the place, you know? Poke around a little out of curiosity. See if the rumors..." He paused, a muted pain rising in his chest. His voice hovered over a soft tone, rising clear above the downpour, but faint enough to require all of Aqua's attention.

"There were all these wires and piping and whatnot surrounding the cells. We didn't really comprehend what they were, but Isa and I knew one thing. We felt this strong... connection to her, I guess, and we wanted to do what we could to get her out."

He stopped talking for a moment, and Aqua remained voiceless. Her silence was welcomed as a subtle emotion surfaced underneath Lea's expression. As if certain memories emerged that were best left forgotten.

He shook his head, blinking away small traces of tears. "Sorry. Don't know why I'm-" He let out a sad laugh, one that served to bury any further discomfort. "I suppose I wanted to tell someone else about it. You can only bring it up so often... Anyway, I'll spare you the messy details." He tossed a hand out in front of him, sighing.

"Isa wanted to come back here. See if we could dig up anything else about her. Any clues or something on her whereabouts." His eyes locked onto his shoes. "I don't blame him though, you know? Never could. The way we would sneak in almost every day and spend what little time we had talking with her, only for her to vanish out of the blue the next time we looked?" He shook his head, and his hand found the back of his neck again. "I think that would kill anyone, yeah?"

With a knitted brow, Aqua stared at her feet. "I'm sorry, Lea. I didn't mean to-"

He released a sad chuckle. "Nah, don't worry about it. Not like you could have known, right?" He gave her a weak smile, struggling to hide the sorrow.

Words failed her and they continued to sit in the rain. Aqua drew her Wayfinder out and traced it's edges once more, her fingers gliding over the slick metal. Lea noticed but kept quiet, reclining further with his arm draped over his knee. A low rumble cut between them. The sound fell muffled against the trickling of the fountain. Aqua's thoughts drifted back to her time in the Realm of Darkness. _Ten years. Ten years of wandering. Ten years of seeing things that weren't really there._ She tightened her grasp on the blue keepsake and tucked her knees up to her chest then, resting her face in her arms. 

After a long moment, his voice interrupted her thoughts. "How long's it been then, huh? A handful of months?"

"Huh?" Aqua lifted her head, her face stained with tears.

Lea scratched his cheek, his nail grazing right over where the tear-shaped marking used to be. He hesitated. Maybe he shouldn't have asked, but the nagging need to create a new topic of conversation became too much. "Since Sora-"

"Oh." Aqua lifted her head, wiping her eyes on her arm. "Right." Her gaze traced over the bushes. "I suppose that much time has passed. At least. Maybe a lot more."

"Hmph. Certainly feels that way. Like years almost?" He suddenly turned to her, a genuine grin stretching on his face. He lifted his elbow, almost jabbing her injured arm before opting for a pat on the shoulder again. "We made a pretty good team though, yeah?"

Aqua didn't push his hand aside, pinching the bridge of her nose as his palm burned against her shoulder. Her head bowed, and he drew back. "Lea." She still felt tired, emotionally drained even, but the fact that he was trying to cheer her up had to count for something. She thought for a moment before lifting her head. "I suppose we did." She focused on the west wall in the distance. "Maybe."

He laughed before staring back into the rain. "I'll take that as a yes."

A faint laugh escaped through Aqua's nose, and then she felt something sitting next to Lea. There was a light there, in his heart. One of great strength and warmth. One she had only sensed before in a few others. Others like Kairi and Sora. _Is that why Master YenSid chose him to be a part of us? Is that why he, without the experience, can so extensively wield-?_

She blinked, sensing Lea's gaze upon her. She met his eyes. Rain streamed down his nose as he motioned to her arm. "So, how bad is it?"


End file.
